Apparatus for setting a large bore packer in a well

Claim 1

A combination of a packer assembly and apparatus for setting the packer assembly in conduit in a well penetrating subterranean formatiOns comprising: a. a liner including an annular body portion having substantially cylindrical interior and exterior surfaces that are at least partially coextensive, having an outside diameter less than the diameter of said conduit, having sufficient malleability for and adapted for being expanded to conformingly engage said conduit, having a wall thickness sufficient to effect a wall after expansion capable of withstanding the pressure within or outside said liner, and having a modulus of elasticity in compression sufficient to retain tight frictional and sealing engagement with said conduit after expansion thereagainst; b. a connector means connected at its one end with said body portion and at its other end with a seal sub; said connector means having an expansible portion for retaining a sealing interconnection after expansion of said body portion; c. a seal sub having a longitudinally extending internal sealing surface defining a bore for receiving in sealing relationship a large bore seal unit; d. settable retainer means for retaining said seal sub at a set depth by supplementing the retaining force exerted by said annular body portion when said annular body portion is expanded into said tight frictional and sealing engagement with said conduit; said retainer means being connected with said seal sub; said retainer means having a preset outside diametral dimension less than said given diameter and being expansible out into positive mechanical engagement with said conduit upon setting of said combination; and being lockable into its expanded and set position; e. swage means adjacent said liner for moving through and expanding said liner outwardly into tight frictional and sealing engagement with said conduit, the external dimensions of said swage means having been pre-selected in accordance with the internal dimensions of said conduit and the diameter and wall thickness of said liner to effect said tight frictional and sealing engagement with said conduit after expansion; f. retainer setting means for expanding said retainer means into said positive mechanical engagement with said conduit for setting; said retainer setting eans being connected with said swage means and being removable upwardly through said conduit after said liner and said setting means have been set; g. an adapter rod means for connecting said swage means and said retainer setting means with a force generating means; said adapter rod means being connected at one end with said swage means and said retainer setting means and having, at its other end portion, means for engagement with a force generating means for subjecting said swage means to a force acting to move said swage means completely through said liner and expand said liner into tight frictional and sealing engagement with said conduit; and for subjecting said retainer setting means to a force acting to move said retainer setting means through said retainer means and expand said retainer means into said positive mechanical engagement with said conduit; and h. setting sleeve means disposed radially of the central axis of said adapter rod means and adjacent said liner and having means for engagement with said force generating means for opposing movement of said liner by transmission of a reaction force that acts oppositely to said force from said force generating means; said setting sleeve means being constructed and disposed so as to allow movement of said swage means completely out of said annular body of said liner while said reaction force is still being applied to said liner; all such that said packer assembly can be emplaced at a given location in said conduit by expansion of said annular body portion into frictional and sealing engagement with said conduit and said retainer means expanded into positive mechanical engagement with said conduit; and said packer assembly will remain locked into its set position and will resist being displaced upwardly or downwardly against an unusually large force, Such as by a weight and the force of a pressure acting thereon.